Here Without You
by Karren
Summary: Ranger Gets called up again from The Seals and has to be away from the one he loves.


I don't own anything from Janet Evanovich or Three Doors down

I was riding in the car with my husband to the doctors and this song came on and I thought of Ranger. Hope you enjoy it.

(Rangers POV)

I can remember like it was yesterday. I had gotten the call from the SEALS that they had a mission they needed my help on. It seemed like some Americans were kidnapped in the Columbian jungle and it was too dangerous to let anyone else in, so they called on me to get our guys out of there.

It was easy for me to say yes ill help because when you're in the service your always in the service, it never leaves you. It was also easy to ask some of my men to help me since they are kinda in the same field as me. What was going to be the hard part was I had to tell her.

** A hundred days have made me older, since the last time that I saw your pretty face**

As I lay here on my cot, with my men outside taking a smoke break and goofing off at command post I think about that night a hundred days ago and it seems a long time ago.

"Babe, I have to tell you something and if this was any time than now it wouldn't be bothering me so much, but since you found your permante place with me now this is one of the hardest things I think I'll ever have to tell you" I said as I came in from the command room floor

"What is it Ranger?" she asked the smile leaving her face

When I had came in she was in the kitchen eating a sandwich and I suspected it was a peanut butter and olive one. She was so beautiful to me and I was lucky that she had finally chosen the man she wanted to spend her days with.

"I was just called up on a top secret mission, I leave tomorrow morning" I tell her and I can see she wants to breakdown but living with me for so long she says has toughen her up.

"How long?" she asked

"Till it's done Babe" I say since I don't even know

** A thousand lies have made me colder and I don't think I can look at this the same **

After I came out of the service which I had to beg, borrow, lie, cheat and steal to do my job I came to be the bounty hunter everyone now knows me as. What I did on missions has made me cold and I no longer cared about stuff. Oh I could go and have a woman but she would never mean anything to me until I met her.

I was called by Connie, Vinnie's bonds office Manager. She told me she had a new BEA that needed a little guidance and I told her to tell them to meet me at the café and I would speak to them. I had no idea what to expect I thought it was going to be a man but when she walked in something inside me changed.

Over the years of mentoring and loving on her she made me see that she was something very special to me. Even though I still kept her at arm's length no one ever mattered to me more than she did and id always be at her beck and call.

** All the miles that separate. Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face **

I'm currently thousands of miles away from Stephanie. Deep in the Columbian jungle. We had been going over Intel and decided after weeks of grueling planning we were going to have a rest, we were exhausted and knew we should rest now for tomorrow we were going to strike and hopefully get out men freed.

I closed my eyes not intending to fall asleep, I must have thought because I was suddenly with her again and everything seemed all right again.

"Babe?" I said as I saw her lying back on the grass

"I'm not drunk" she told me, which I knew was a huge lie

I picked her up and took a hold of her jean jacket lapels and brought her to me.

"I need to talk to you" I told her

I then was placed in her apartment and I had her pushed up against the wall and I was kissing her. One of my favorite things to do with her.

** I'm here without you baby , but your still on my lonely mind, I think about you baby, and I dream about you all the time, I'm here without you baby, but your still with me in my dreams. And tonight girl it's only you and me. **

Since being gone for so long and then getting to sleep only a few hours a night my mind knows where I long to be, so I am always catapulted there. As I'm dreaming my mind takes me back to the day that took me away from her.

** The miles just keep rollin, as the people leave their way to say hello **

"Keep a watch over her Tank" I tell him as I walk out of my apartment for the last time until ill come back which I don't know when that will be.

I called Tank up to my place on the seventh floor of my building because he was going to be left behind so he could run RangeMan and I needed someone strong to keep Stephanie. I could still hear her in the bedroom sobbing and it was breaking my heart. I wanted to bad to go to her and hold her but I couldn't.

"Go she will be fine. I will make it my job each day to watch over her" My friend and confidant tells me

I grab my duffel bag and walk to my door. I look back one last time remembering the love we made last night. It felt like it was the last time id ever make love to her. I remembered the kiss I gave her just a few moments ago to say goodbye and wished I could run back into her and kiss her and say I'm not going.

As I walk to the garage and let the men that's going with me drive us to the airport I start thinking.

** I've heard this life is over rated, but I hope it gets better as we go **

I've never really cared much about life. If we live we live, if we die, we die that's the risk we take and I've accepted it. Now I wanted to live, I had to live. I had to make it back to her. I hope in all my heart that once I get to the jungle it will go quickly and it will get easier to be away from Stephanie as I go.

** I'm here without you baby, but you're still on my lonely mind, I think about you baby, and I dream about you all the time, I'm here without you baby, but you're still with me in my dreams, and tonight girl its only you and me **

** Everything I know, and everywhere I go, it gets hard but it won't take away my love **

Everything I know I gave to Steph so she could be a good bounty hunter. I know there is no way she is or will ever be as good and as disciplined as me but she has such a spirit about her and somehow she gets the jobs done. We have gone on a lot of apprehensions together and then I have went in the wind several time and when I get back I always saw in her face relief that I was back and then it changed that I saw love when id come home.

We have argued and fought over the right ways to apprehend someone and she is so bull headed that I'd like to just shake her sometimes but nothing has ever separated me from loving her way I have and the way I do now.

** And when the last one falls. When it's all said and done, it gets hard but it won't take away my love**

While I'm sleeping I can feel myself eager to get this mission started to extricate the US Citizens from the Columbian Compound. I made a vow to Stephanie the morning I left and saw Tank take her in his arms.

"Babe I swear when the last one falls, and when it is all said and done, ill come home to you. I promise" I tell her as I let her go and she falls to the bed crying breaking my heart in two but no one would never know it had.

** I'm here without you baby, but your still on my lonely mind, I think about you baby, and I dream about you all the time, I'm here without you baby, but your still with me in my dreams, and tonight girl its only you and me **

"Ranger, its time" one of my men said as he woke me from my dreams of her

" Mr. Manoso on Behalf of the President of the United States of America we present you with this award of bravery and we thank you for your help in this situation that you came from" an official looking man In a suit said as I was flown to Washington when we got our guys out beaten and battered but alive

.

I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying and shoving into my hands all I wanted to do was go back to New Jersey where a certain one was waiting for me to return. It had been along mission and all I want is to be back with her.

After three more days holed up in the pentagon I was released and told I could go my way. Before I left I stopped by and gave my resignation and told America I was finished for good. As I left I breathed in the cold air into my lungs and got in the car that all my guys were in. We were taking to the airport and flown the short distance to Newark. I was never allowed to let anyone know I was back in the states so no one was there to greet us on our safe return home like guys get when they come back from war. I was dieing inside every mile that had separated us at first now was getting closer and closer back to where I belonged.

I knew we had been spotted on the garage cameras and I knew they were probably scrambling to get Stephanie. The elevator was taking so long in getting me there. We stopped on the command room floor and said hello to everyone.

I felt her before I saw her; we just have that way about us somehow. I turned around and saw her again in Tanks arms. Her cheeks stained with tears. She looked thinner than I remember her and much paler. Our eyes locked as we saw each other. I could see fear in her eyes as if she didn't think the man before her was really me.

I walked over to Tank and Stephanie. I looked down upon her and saw the unshed tears pooling in her eyes. Tank stepped away from her and left her to stand on shaky legs. I place a finger under her chin and smiled warmly at her.

"Babe"

"Its you?" she asked

"Yes it's me, I've come back to you" I tell her

I felt her start to sway and I placed an arm around her and held her to me. She felt me with her fingers and then smiled that smile I love so much. Our Lips finally met and for a long time they never parted.

I was back and I was with her.


End file.
